Track shoe



Jan. 18, 1944. H. A. KNOX 2,339,273

TRACK SHOE Filed Aug. 2, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. A. KNOX Jan. 18, 1944.

TRACK SHOE 2 Sheebs-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1941 Patented Jan. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Harry A. Knox. Washington, D. C. Application August 2, 1941, Serial No. 405,159

3 Claims.

March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me oi any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a track for track laying vehicles.

An object of my invention is to provide a sturdy and novel mounting of a combination driving, uide and clamping member on the track end bearings which are adapted to hold a track link.

Another object of my invention is to provide a track having track shoes which might be readily disassembled and yet be of sturdy construction.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view 01' two assembled track shoes of the lower flight of the improved track.

Fi 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2-22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of r Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5555 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is .a top plan view of one of the track shoes with the pin and clamping members removed.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on-the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

' -trally located hearing I! whereas the sleeve l3 Fig. 8 is a side view of one of the end clamping members.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-99--9 of Fig. 6.

The track comprises a series of shoes A, constituting link members connected by means of link pins 3..

The shoes are all identical and each one consists of' abo'dy I0, forming a rail and having a centrally'located aperture Illa to reduce weight and'to provide an opening for clearing mud and dirt. The body II) has spaced bearings ll-Il on oneiof its'ends and a single centrally located bearing" l! on the opposite end whose width is substantially equal to the spacing between the end' bearings. When two shoes are assembled end to end, the. bearing ll of one shoe is adapted to fit between the spaced bearings l|-ll of the other shoe.

The link pin .Bhas vulcanized thereto three rubber sleeves, one of which designated as I3 is disposedin the centrally located bearing and the is inserted in the bearing rubber sleeve l3 and it place.

Cleats or "grousers l5-l5 are mounted in tegral with the body It and each cleat has a semicylindrical groove l6 forming the bearing II and adapted to receive and clamp one of the rubber sleeves l4. Each cleat' I! has four stud bolts H projecting therefrom towards the inside of the track.

A projection 30 formed on the outside of bearing I2 is adapted to coact with the body portion 3| of the adjoining link so as to limit the [2 by compressing the relative movement between adjoining link members.

Each member 20 serves the combined f unctions of a clamp, a guide for the wheels of the track laying vehicle'and provides a driving member adapted to engage or be engaged by a sprocket C. Each member 20 has formed integral therewith the projection 2| which serves as a guide for the wheels of the track laying vehicle and a semi-cylindrical groove 22 adapted to receive and clamp the rubber sleeve l4. Four holes 23 in each member 20 allow passage for the stud bolts I7, and nuts 24 on bolts I] serve to tighten the clamp proper. Each member 20 has a rounded portion 25 adapted to engage or be engaged by a sprocket C. The portion 20a of the wheel guide serves to take the side thrust of the sprocket .C.

By virtue of the structure described the link pin 13 is held against free rotational movement in the end and center bearings and when either one of the adjoining shoes is flexed the resulting angular movement is accommodated largely throiligh distortion of the rubber sleeves I3.

I claim:

1. In a track for track laying vehicles, a clamping member having a semi-cylindrical groove formed therein and having a pair oi. coplanar surfaces adjacent to the groove, a guide mounted on the clamping member, said guide having its plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the semi-cylindrical groove and to the coplanar surface.

2. In a track adapted to move on wheels and is thereby firmly held in be driven by a sprocket, a clamping member havthe reception hi 9. portion of the body of the adjoining link member, a link pin sleeve in the end of the body remote from saidbearing members, a link pin in the sleeve with ends ext ending beyond said sleeve and having a resilient outer surface, a clamping member forming the other bearing member, and having a semi-circular groove matching with the groove in the companion member, and means for clamping the bearing members to hold the outer surface of the link pin in non-rotating relation to the bearing members HARRY A. KNOX. 

